Tendercentric
by Echoe'sFolly
Summary: One-shots for the FanFic100 ultimate challenge staring tendershipping with various ratings and topics chosen by the Big Damn Table .
1. Beginnings

I've been accepted into the fanfic100 ultimate fanfic challenge. So yes, this if my first one for topic 1- beginnings. I'll be posting my stories here for a day or two before posting them for the challenge to get some feedback a a go or a no. So, go read and please (hopefully) enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-gi-oh or the characters and make no prophit from this sotry. however the storyline of this fiction is mine, do not steal please.

**Fandom**: Yugioh  
**Characters**: Yami Bakura/Ryou Bakura  
**Prompt**: Beginnings, #1  
**Word Count**: 1,262  
**Rating**: T

**Warning(s):** implied yaoi pairing.

**Summary**: Some beginnings don't need ends...

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"So why do you only read the beginnings?"

"Well…" he'd waited weeks to hear the soft, fluid voice that came with the answer. "Sometimes the ending isn't worth knowing."

Bakura couldn't think of a reply, he'd covered every possible scenario before approaching the cherubic teen that been the sole item of his concentration for so many months. But, apparently, he hadn't cover every scenario…this wasn't an answer he'd expected at all. So he simply watched on as the white-haired Ryou continued on his usual practice, not able to think of a response worthy of either of their time.

It was three months ago that his obsession had started. It was that dark, rainy day, fitting for the situation, that every senior was forced to face sooner-or-later; Report research at the library. The air filled with the smell of old, moldy paper and the cheap perfume of old, flirty librarians and a haven for an angle. It didn't take Bakura long to spot Ryou, vivid green eyes glued to one book, reading a short passage, before moving to the next and repeating the process, his silky white hair tied back, out of his face, absently showing off his milky white neck to the world.

He glowed.

No homework had gotten done that day, the hours spent instead stalking the elusive angle, every time Bakura drew near enough to speak up, he'd disappear into a back room, reappearing elsewhere if at all.

The next time Bakura had entered the library, it had been of choice, no handcuffs or threats involved in any way. He scanned each room, but finding each equally empty of his angle, began his work from a table upstairs which easily overlooked the front doors, you never knew who could show up. It was on the forth large, dusty reference book that he entered. It was 2:00 pm. He watched the teen walked through the entrance hall, smiling shyly at the librarians, who were barely restraining themselves from assaulting him with their pointless, flirty banter, and made his way to the lower fiction room. Bakura had no second thoughts about tossing his "Psychology of Obsessions" reference aside in trade for a more mobile task.

It continued on the some for weeks: library trips, long stalking hours, little to no work done. But more important things were found. His obsessions name was Ryou. He would read only the first page or so of a book before moving on, if he was nervous, something often caused by the librarians hobby of hanging, drooling over his shoulder, he would nibble his bottom lip and his jade eyes would get an anxious, concerned look in there depths, while he would slowly slide his fingers across the books. Ryou came in every other day, at exactly 2:00 pm, without fail. He would only read the beginnings of books, something Bakura could never find a reason for. It always took a book or two for his Ryou to get fed up with the light hair that was obstructing his view of a passage before he would tie his hair back, though some hair refused to stay confined and would fall to gently frame his face. He walked shyly, barely noticeable if you weren't watching, but stunningly detectable if you were.

Bakura knew he had a problem. It was obvious; shadowing a person whom you've never spoken to nor has ever seen you, but you still feel as if they belong to you is a book definition of intimacy stalking, his reference book had told him that much. But he couldn't help it; he was drawn to Ryou naturally, and why go against instinct? It didn't take long for watching to soon become more painful than fulfilling. Never once had his Ryou spoken, and he needed to hear him. But, while the library seemed to ease Ryou in some unseen way, it wasn't enough for him to approach anyone around him. Bakura never followed him outside of the library, he had tried once, but Ryou assumed a hard, wary disguise that made Bakura want to steal him away and fight off everything that worried him. It made him want to be closer to him than was possible then and there.

His plan had been simple enough; walk and talk. Ask a question, start a conversation, entice him into whatever else followed. He went through the steps, plotting out question and answers, follow-ups and reaction, but now when all his planning had been put into action, he was unprepared. So he followed Ryou for some time, worrying and wondering.

"It's ok you know." Ryou continued to walk, sweeping his finger gently over the shelves of books, finding one of interest; he pulled it from its den, flipping open to the first page. Bakura watched the process with slight interest now, he knew how it went.

"What's ok?"

"That you've been following me for months now. It's ok." He repeated, finishing his page and returning the book to its proper home. He turned his green eyes on Bakura. "You're different you know." Bakura could hardly breathe; the jade eye's ensnaring his mind, the melodious voice softening his body. "But I don't know why you would want to follow me…"

"I'll tell you if you answer my question more."

A smile lit up Ryou's face. "That seems fair." He hummed and turned to another book, opening it to the first page, scanned it, and held it out to Bakura. "How do you think this will end?"

Bakura let the book fall into his hands, the woven cover chafing his open palm. He too skimmed through the first page. The story was a simple one; girl meets a bad-boy and falls in love, but he wants nothing to do with her. He reached to replace the book into its spot, but a pale, soft hand stopped his. The eye's caught his once more searching for an answer.

"They fall in love and live happily-ever-after, it's a love story." Ryou smiled on, not removing his eyes from Bakura's burgundy ones. "Now look at the ending. Please." He asked tenderly.

Bakura could never say no, so he flipped the book over carefully, reading the last page.

The love story wasn't a love story. The girl dies in a car wreck leaving the boy with his abusive family to mourn alone.

"You see, if I only read the beginning, I can change the ending."

The hand left his and moved to the book, lifting it out from his grip and placing it on the shelf; a shelf that could be filled with such endings. "I see."

Ryou murmured in agreement. "So, why is it you follow me?" Bakura considered the question, taking over Ryou's habit of drawing his fingers along the book bindings. Did he even know why? A compulsion, an obsession, a need maybe? He knew it was more than that, the way Ryou made his own way with stories, it compelled him.

"I like making beginnings." He stopped drawing along the binding to focus on Ryou. He had leaned against one of the tall shelves and was watching him intently, his motions, his reactions, his thoughts.

"Do you think I'll be able to make an ending for this?" he whispered. Bakura reached out, weaving his hand indulgently into the white strands of hair which escaped the black tie of the day, admiring the softness in them. "Do you think there will be an end?" Ryou looked mystified.

"Isn't there always?"

"I suppose, but then again, I'm more of a beggining person my Ryou."

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So, short, but hopefully sweet. I'm really looking for feedback, positive and negative, so please review, once word, anything will help.

Also, for anyone who read some of my slow moving stories, sorry, i'm working on both Double Standards and Cruise of Fate, and will continue to do so. Give C.o.F another week, it'll be done. Double Standard will take a bit longer, seeing as i'm fighting with myself on the ultamite story line of it.

Tankyou for reading

-Saternoutlaw


	2. What?

Story Two of the fanfic contest thingy that only insane board people dare join.I haven;t written in first person for a while, so excuse(or tell me about) any weird parts and mistakes.

**Fandom**: Yugioh  
**Characters**: Yami Bakura/Ryou Bakura  
**Prompt**: What?, #77  
**Word Count**: 472  
**Rating**: T

**Warning(s):** implied yaoi pairing.

**Summary**: Bakur wants to know what Ryou's been doing in that computer room...and what exactly it is that he finds.

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I snuck into the room; the only light caste was from the blue haze of the computer's screen set on the desk. My Ryou was starring intently at the white screen. I started to sneak up behind him; which wasn't very hard due to his deep interest with the glowing screen. I can't lie; I was jealous of the slick, silver electronic. Why should it get such devout attention?!

Stopping short of him, still unnoticed, I caught a glimpse of the black words on the monitor. "What the…."

Ryou jumped up, turning against his desk to face me, his color quickly competing with that of a cherry.

"W-Where did you come from?" he stuttered out. " Haven't you heard of knocking?"

"What in the world are you reading...? Sex Ed for Teens." I read off. "If you wanted to know you could just ask, though I would have thought you know enough." I stood over him watching his color redden even more, not sure if that was actually possible.

He gave me a melting look. "It's not what it looks like Kura. Don't you believe me?" Oh Gods, he was almost begging. I had to know why Ryou found it necessary to look up such mundane things. If it were anything else, S&M, porn even, I might understand…but anatomy….STD'S…. what were those things anyways? A stripper organization maybe? Well that could work.

I drew a breath in. "That's what they all say, Ry, really though, all you had to do was ask, you know I would of help you." I said hotly. He just got redder still, now making it more of a light purplish. He ran to the other side of the room. Is he running away? But what's that? He tripped over several books while trying to hand me a paper, or trying to get me to eat it.

I looked down at the crumpled paper. "Oh…I see...I think. They teach Sex-Ed? That sounds awkward…even for me. Can't you just tell them you know plenty about sex? Especially that one thing you do where you—"

Ryou, who had now reached an un-named color, looked up desperately at me and ran out of the room to hide his face. He stopped at the door and quickly yelled. "Perv. I don't even know what you think when it's not about sex!"

I stood shocked. Something other than sex?! Well, I suppose anything is possible. At least I found out what he was doing in here. Something was bothering me in the back of my mind. I dawned on me. Ryou's never that mean… I wonder if it was something I said.' Oh well. It would be worth the make-up sex.'

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So yea, Kura's quiet...interesting here. *cough* perv *cough*...who said that!???!

So please, review on what you thinks and any mistakes or advice you have, it's greatly appreciated by this desperate author.


	3. Rain

**Fandom**: Yugioh  
**Characters**: Yami Bakura/Ryou Bakura  
**Prompt**: Rain, #66  
**Word Count**: 1,355  
**Chapter:** 66/100  
**Rating**: T  
**Summary**: There is sometimes a thrid path that has been set for you.  
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It was well past dusk when Ryou was just finishing his job in the park; it'd taken all the daylight hours put in to clear the fields and picnic areas of the messes left behind by overly exited kids and their overly protective parents. Ryou envied them. Sometimes he hated them, but he continued to help them, be it advice on finding a good area to camp or cleaning after them as he did now. The whole time he would stare off at them, attempting to send them silent messages. His last message was for the last family; Trying to call them back to the park, to tell them to not bother leaving. They didn't listen. They never listened. Neither had his family, but unlike his, the last family of five might get home perfectly safe. It was an indulgent idea, it could even happen. His instinct could be wrong. Normally however, hid instinct was correct. That family wouldn't visit this park again. He'd already marked them.

It was this night that the mist first came. It rolled in over the land, hiding trees and muffling the sounds of the nocturnal life in the woods, thickening into a dense fog. Ryou gazed into the new white walls around him. Mists and fogs were thing that never came here; the hot, dry environment ensured that much. He reached out to it, trying to gather some in his hand, but it slipped through his fingers, retreating away from him. He stepped forward and it retreated around him again.

"You can't catch fog silly." A teasing voice sounded behind him. Ryou spun around to face it, but faced only with another elusive white wall. "W-what? Who's there?"

Something brushed through his hair. He spun around once more. His hair twirled around a pale finger.

"You know, you startle easily I think." Ryou gasped at the person in front of him; wild hair, nearly as while as his own, surrounding sanguine eyes. He'd never seen that color before. It was striking and spellbinding. The pale finger moved through his hair once more, caressing the locks. "Will you dance with me?"

Ryou bit his lip "Who are you?" he asked in a whisper. The eyes moved closer, fixing into his. A playful look crossed them. "If I tell you, will you dance?" Ryou could only nod.

The other gave an agreeing hum. "Bakura." He said simply. Bakura reached out a hand, the other still twirling Ryou's hair, and took his hand. They danced, the white air spinning with their movements. Light broke through and the fog faded to mist, then into clean morning air.

"Yes, I will get you."

Bakura disappeared.

-

Ryou woke the next morning, his small room flooded with sunlight. The light warmed his bed and he burrowed into the sheets, stretching slowly. It felt like a slow day.

He bolted up, staring at the window. The light…it was hours past sunrise. People would have started arriving to the park by now, and he was late.

Now the day was approaching its end, the wind already noticeably cooler. Ryou pushed a wheelbarrow of tools up a hill to the shed that was kept near the house. The Elder was already there, his bushy gray hair flying about in the wind. He'd been working the park for forever and a day, and showed no hint of moving elsewhere any time soon.

"Heard you were late today."

Ryou nodded.

"Hmm. Don't make it a habit, kid. Were you able to see who's going today?"

He nodded again, pointing back to the picnic area. A birthday party was still going strong under the shady trees. Kids ran around playing while adults ran around cleaning up after them.

"The whole group?"

"Yes, there all together."

"Ah well, everything comes and goes as it should, well as long as everything's done properly. I'll go take care of the marking; you need finish your chores."

Ryou would have nodded again, but the Elder was already halfway down the hill. So he just watched as he worked, passing through each individual, leaving behind a small mark of rose oil. When he finished the family we leave and never come back again. If all the members were marked accordingly, no one would be left behind.

Someone had messed up once; and here he was, stuck in the park, tending to its cause. All because in the end, you need a mark to move on and someone couldn't be troubled to track down a stray teenager and mark him. Ryou couldn't move on anymore, so he'd strayed back into the park.

But he, if anything, just glad he could be of use. He was an accident, so he couldn't mark, but he could _see_. _Seeing_ saved a lot of work for those who could mark. It also kept accidents down to a minimum. And as long as he could help families move on together, he would be happy.

Days passed, working late into the evenings and waking before dawn. There hadn't been many people that needed marked recently, so Ryou spend much of his time tending to the grounds and the dormitory like house that all the workers shared. It had also rained, which caused quite a stir among the workers. A meeting had even been called between the elder and the higher placed workers. He hadn't heard a word of it though, so he simply decided to enjoy it.

It was that nights, when the grass was still glazed with the sheen of water, that the fog came again.

It snuck up on Ryou, who was caring for the park's water plants with concentration beyond what most could manage. He had always loved the water plants. There weren't many of them, and the small pond often had to be willed by the well, but they were exotic, simple, and so out of place that he could almost sympathize with them.

"Plants are rather intriguing aren't they?" The comment turned into a silvery laugh as Ryou fell forward into the water. He didn't move.

His green eyes met red. "B-Bakura?"

"Of course. I said I would get you, it's hard to do that without being here." He crouched down, the black robe he wore collecting around his feet. "Someone eventually comes for the lost ones, though I've never done so myself. But I like you. No doubt the Elder is quite surprised right now." Ryou watched as a playful smirk made its way to Bakura's lips.

"How does he know it's you?"

"I bring rain. I never come here though, so there is never rain. It makes me easy to spot. Do you like my rain?"

Nodding Ryou crawled out of the pond, settling on the grass a few feet from Bakura. He wasn't sure what to do, he'd never met a God before, only heard of them. The stories always told or moody, all powerful beings though, not anything like the mysterious and maybe even caring one that crouched before him. "Yes, I do…it's very beautiful, enhancing everything and helping everything."

"You're very observant. That's good. It'll help you keep up with me."

"Keep up?"

"Yes, I'm here to take you after all."

"But…where?" he looked around the grounds. In the distance, though he couldn't see them through the new, clean fog around him, he knew that the picnic tables and the house stood out there. If he left, there would be mistakes again. Someone would end up here, cut away from their family.

"That won't happen." Bakura assured softly. "Lost ones are special; they aren't supposed to move on. They are to become helpers. Some stay to become workers, some help Gods and Goddesses, some even aid energy itself. Ryou, you were not supposed to be marked. You are to stay with me." He reached out a pale, strong arm to Ryou, catching his eye. "The choice is still yours though."

Ryou looked at the water hanging on the plants around him and at the empty park through the fog.

He took the white hand.

He wouldn't be coming back to the park again.


End file.
